[url=http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=58154609&postRepeater1-p=1#58164527]Previous chapter[/url] Panzie slowed to a stop on the edge of a forest. Ahead of him, a large salt flat stretched to the Cold snow covered mountains of pegboy. Mirages danced over the tan ocean of salty dry sand. Far in the distance Panzie could just discern the outline of a large castle-like building near the opposite edge of the salt flats. Panzie fell into a quick run, Crossing dry cracked skin at an incredible speed. Minutes passed and the castle slowly started getting larger. Suddenly panzie stopped. Ahead of him, a line of tanks were facing the castle, At their rear, a bungie general was examining a chart while being given the daily blahs by a short private. He approached them cautiously. [i]How had they known to come here[/i] he thought to himself. Noticing panzie, the bungie general stood up. "Qbix" as the general went by, was a tall and imposing man, built like a tank, and with the same amount of care for those under him. The shiny silver 7th column patch on his uniform's sleeve gave away his high rank. "Panzie!" he said with a complete lack of respect. "We were expecting you. Please have a seat'. He paused as panzie sat down to talk. "It seems the group "teh floodian resistance" is responsible for the events of flood forum 1. Frankly, we need your help. It appears they have been prepared for an assault for some time." [i]Obviously[/i] Panzie mused [i]All they do is simulate bungie floodian warfare.[/i] "You are well known for playing a part in most of their simulations, We are sure you can get in and try to talk their commander down." Qbix commanded. panzie frowned, but it was hidden by his helmet. Nobody disrespects him for no reason. "What if I kill the bastard?" Panzie asked, knowing he would probably kill anything he felt was involved with the bombings. "Just get them to stand down. That is all." qbix said, and waved panzie toward the castle. Panzie nodded and began jogging toward the castle. Just before he ran out of earshot, he heard Qbix say something. He was speaking lightly into a handheld comm. "looks like we'll get two birds with one stone". Before panzie could think about what he said, he was nearly a third of the way to the building. Halfway to the door, panzie slowed to a stop. He should have been pelted with verbal assault rifle fire by now. He dismissed it and continued to the giant wooden doors of the castle. They opened without making the stereotypical screech of ungreased metal. In fact, they were almost silent. Inside, floodians in thick battle armor and graffiti covered rifles milled about their business, none of them paid any attention to panzie. "Sir" a young resistance fighter said as he tapped the shoulder pad on panzie's armor. "Hokage wants to see you." he said timidly. Panzie nodded and followed. It seemed like hours passed as the two floodians mounted the stairs, going up nearly forty stories in complete silence. The pair stopped at a solid steel door. With a groan, it slid open. The room was rather unexpected for the room of a floodian. The walls were lined with books and popular science journals, A ceiling fan swayed some of the papers scattered around in a gentle breeze. In the center of the room, a heavy oak desk was covered in plans for attack. Behind it, a man dressed like an asian samurai looked at them both with tired eyes. "You can leave" He said, waving the young floodian off. He looked at panzie then clasped his hands together and produced a long sigh. "hello panzie." He said, his eyes seemed to be deepen with sorrow and pain. "-blam!- these formalities." Panzie yelled out loud. "I'm going to kill you for what you did to all those people." Hokage cringed at it, then gave a small defeated laugh. He almost seemed sorry. "It had to be done." he said, with steel in his voice. "Are you serious!" Panzie yelled with rage. "You killed THOUSANDS of people, and I spent two days pulling them out of the wreckage." Panzie reached to pull out his clip. Hokage noticed it and spoke. "It goes much deeper than you think. We had to throw a monkey wrench in and slow bungie down." Panzie looked at him for a second, then slowly sunk his clip back into it's holster. "What do you mean?" he said cautiously. Hokage chuckled then threw Panzie a small datapad. "If you survive long enough. I suggest you use this." With that, he pushed a few buttons on his own datapad and a small screen popped up behind him. what was on it made panzie's eyes widen. On the screen a chart showing the resistance base on bottom, then a slowly approaching tubular device slowly entering atmosphere. the object was labeled with a radioactive sign. Hokage didn't pay any attention to the screen. "Find rogue assasin, she will give you the answers." Hokage said, then pulled a gun out from his desk and put it to his chin. He pulled tension on the trigger. "get the hell out of here." He said, just before the pistol fired through his head in a spray of brain matter and blood. Panzie was horrified, But he realized the danger he was in. Quickly, he jumped out of the building and hit the ground forty stories below. The ground split with a deep crack, and panzie woozily got up. Around him, resistance members continued about their business. Panzie realized they weren't doing errands, but much closer to the aimless rambling of those trying to find something to do before death. Panzie ignored the and slammed through the giant wooden doors. Outside in the salt flats, the tanks had all left. Panzie ran at full speed toward the mountain, trying to get over and into cover. With a giant leap, he tried to land behind a large boulder. The orbital nuke hit, and everything was wrapped in a deadly white flash. end of ch-4